The ocean floor holds unique information about Earth's history. Scientific ocean drilling, which started 50 years ago, has yielded insights into climate change, geohazards and the key conditions for life.

Landscape of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in southern Utah, one of the most abundant fossil fields in the world.
P. David Polly, 2018
September 21, 2018

Twenty-two years ago, President Clinton established Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument for paleontological conservation. As the Trump administration shrinks its borders, that mission is jeopardized.

With a lot not on display, museums may not even know all that’s in their vast holdings.
AP Photo/Jae C. Hong
September 17, 2018

We know of about 900 valid dinosaur species that existed. 'Valid' means scientists know the dinosaur from enough of the skeleton bones to feel pretty sure that it differs from other known dinosaurs.

Euphanerops, a primitive jawless fish from the World Heritage site at Miguasha, Quebec, which has now been found to have paired hind limb structures and copulatory sex organs.
François Miville-Deschênes with permission
July 18, 2018